912 Eeport of State Geologist. 



In Illinois they were observed at Freeport during the winter of 

 1870-71, and at Waukegan, in January, 1873 (Hist. N. A. Birds, Baird, 

 Brewer and Eidgway). The winter of 1871 they were quite- com- 

 mon throughout the northern portion of that State. The following 

 winter they were much rarer, and since then but very few have been 

 seen (Nels. Bull. Essex Inst., Vol. VIII., 1876, p. 104). 



About the year 1872, while hunting in the autumn, near Eureka, 

 Woodford County, 111., Prof. 0. P. Hay came upon a flock of these 

 birds and killed six (Bull. Nuttall Om. Club, July, 1881, p. 179). Mr. 

 T. Mcllwraith records its occurrence in Ontario, at Toronto, December 

 25, 1854, and at Woodstock, in May, 1866. In 1871 they were also 

 found near London, and he noted them near Hamilton, March 17, 

 1883 (B. of Ont., 1894, p. 291). Dr. Kirtland noted its occurrence 

 near Cleveland, 0., in March, 1860 (Wheaton, Birds of 0., p. 314). 

 Dr. Morris Gibbs has informed me of the occurrence of this species in 

 Michigan in 1869, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1878 and 1879. 



During none of these visits, except that of 1878, does it seem to have 

 been identified in Indiana. 



The first reference to its occurrence in this State I find in Forest 

 and Stream, Vol. VI., 1876, p. 148, where Mr. G. Aug. Smith says: 

 "It occurs some winters at Ft. Wayne." In the collection of Purdue 

 University, Lafayette, Ind., is a specimen taken near that city in 

 November, 1878 (C. R. Barnes). This is the first verified record for 

 Indiana. In 1883, they were next noted. Five specimens were shot 

 at Whiting Station, Ind., December 20, 1883 (H. K. Coale). Mrs. A. 

 W. Brayton has a specimen which she informs me was taken in the 

 summer of 1886, near Allisonville, twelve miles north of Indianapolis. 

 The winter of 1886-7 they ranged eastward into Ontario, as far as 

 London, and south into Iowa to Fulton County, Ky., and over much 

 of Indiana, as far, at least, as Bloomington, where the late Mr. C. H. 

 Bollman and Mr. G. G. Williamson obtained several specimens. That 

 winter they were first recorded in Indiana from Lake George, Decem- 

 ber 5, 1886, when two females were taken, which are now in the 

 collection of Mr. G. Fream Marcom, San Diego, Cal. Messrs. H. K; 

 Coale and Geo. L. Toppan reported seeing two January 1, 1887. Jan- 

 uary 14, Mr. Toppan reported two males near Chicago. January 20, 

 Mr. C. H. Bollman took one male near Bloomington. The same day, 

 Cal. Meredith and another boy shot five from a flock of twelve, near 

 Frankfort (C. E. Newlin). March 25, Mr. Oscar Vaught shot two 

 from a flock of eight or ten near Mace. 



In Mr. Morcom's collection I saw six males and two females, two of 

 which were kindly given to me, marked Berry Lake, Ind., April 3, 



